Celina signs International film

By Bollywood Hungama -

October 5, 2007 - 12:00 AM IST

While numerous upcoming and established actors have been making (or creating) news about their 'crossover' to foreign shores for a film project, Celina Jaitley has gone ahead and signed one without making much hue and cry about the entire matter. The film is a New Zealand-Australian co-production and is being backed by a leading Hollywood production house. Titled Love Has No Language, this big budget film has New Zealand actor Ben Mitchell as the lead actor opposite Celina. Celina would be leaving for New Zealand on 25th May for 45 days start to finish shoot and would be back in mid-July. On being asked about the hush-hush manner in which the project has shaped up, Celina replies, "There was no point talking about it till the time everything is finalized. I have always believed in working that way. Just yesterday the entire paperwork was completed and in a fortnight's time I am already flying for the shoot." But she must have had some inkling about the film coming in her? "When I was narrated the script, I was of course excited about being a part of the project. Nevertheless, there was big money involved and I was keeping my fingers crossed while the signing of contract happened", she explains. Divulging more about the project, she says, "The film is about an Indian family settled in New Zealand that has a daughter Marina Roy (played by me) who has lived her entire life in the country and is a complete Kiwi-Indian. On the other hand her parents belong to the era of 1947 when families migrated overseas. Unke khayalaat bilkul us sadi ke hain due to which the conflicts in thought process arise." What exactly did she look in her role and the character that makes her excited about Love Has No Language? "The beauty of playing a core Indian girl", she replies pronto. "It is so ironical naa that while working in Hindi films over here in India, I could never get a chance to play a girl who is completely Indian with the adequate mannerisms, body language et al in place. On the other hand now that I am working in an International project, I have been given this opportunity." Does this mean that her fans would miss out on her ultra-glamorous avtar? "Ha ha, no nothing of that sorts", she clears out, "See, glam or non-glam are the terms that we use so freely. I play a Kiwi-Indian in the movie but that doesn't mean that I have to be in a no-makeup or so-called non-glam avtar. But yes, the film is more value based than anything else and it is the character and not an individual which is required to be glam or non-glam!" Is Celina going to introduce songs and dances in the film industry out there in New Zealand and Australia?" "I guess that's not what my role demands", laughs Celina, "I don't see myself singing around the tress in the film." She did sing and dance though in just released Shakalaka Boom Boom. It won't be wrong to say that she would be disappointed with the film's fate, isn't that so? "Of course yes, but that happens to the best of the films", she confesses, "Remember, it happened even to Lamhe years back. No, I am not comparing SLBB to Lamhe by any means but the point here is that you never know what would be accepted and what not?" She adds, "Also, it's like nurturing your baby. Apna bachcha kise achcha nahi lagta," she questions, "Whatever be the flaws in it you always end up being so attached to it since you have seen it growing in front of your eyes for all these years. Whether it is Red or Jaanasheen, they all have been very close to me." What are the benefits that she carries forward from SLBB? "Lots of them. First and foremost I have been presented very well in the film, secondly I have some hit songs to my credit now and last but not the least I got to work with Suneel Darshan with whom I would be working again as well. What more do I want? she explains. But does an unsuccessful run of Redor SLBB jitter her? "Not really. I admit there is a lot of struggle but there are no lesser achievements too. It's an ongoing process. Even Mr. Bachchan has seen failures, he has been scorned and he has been loved immensely well. We, as actors, are in a job where we have to constantly keep delivering our best without worrying too much about what has happened in the past." "Moreover I have always believed in putting in my best to whatever I do. So whether they are the endorsements I am currently doing or the ad films or the concerts/shows, I have indulged in all of that wholeheartedly. But yes, no more 'aira-gaira' stuff for me. I have come to a stage where I have a name to maintain and cannot be associated with whatever comes my way", she says as a matter of fact. So out of all the work that she is getting, what is she finally picking and choosing? "There are two films in the pipeline by Mukta Arts for which there should be announcement soon. By the end of the year there should be my next release coming up whereas Love Has No Language is being planned for an early 2008 worldwide release. I am happy with a 6 month gap between SLBB and my next release. That's the way things should be in a long run, isn't it?"